What is an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse?
Position Description Provide advanced nursing care for patients with psychiatric disorders. May provide psychotherapy under the direction of a psychiatrist.
Daily Life Of an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse
- Educate patients and family members about mental health and medical conditions, preventive health measures, medications, or treatment plans.
- Provide routine physical health screenings to detect or monitor problems such as heart disease and diabetes.
- Assess patients' mental and physical status based on the presenting symptoms and complaints.
- Write prescriptions for psychotropic medications as allowed by state regulations and collaborative practice agreements.
- Treat patients for routine physical health problems.
- Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members, including psychiatrists, psychologists, or nursing staff, to develop, implement, or evaluate treatment plans.
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What Every Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse Should Know
Below is a list of the skills most Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses say are important on the job.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Related Job Titles
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse
- Advanced Practice Nurse Psychotherapist (APN Psychotherapist)
- Coordinator of the Psychiatric Liaison Service
- Family Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Are There Job Opportunities for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses?
There were about 2,955,200 jobs for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 14.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 438,000 new jobs for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse by 2026. The BLS estimates 203,700 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse are Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Wisconsin, or Connecticut. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses Salary
The salary for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses ranges between about $50,800 and $106,530 a year.

Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses who work in Hawaii, California, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $59,470 |
Alaska | $89,310 |
Arizona | $77,000 |
Arkansas | $60,780 |
California | $106,950 |
Colorado | $74,240 |
Connecticut | $81,220 |
Delaware | $74,800 |
District of Columbia | $92,350 |
Florida | $66,210 |
Georgia | $68,950 |
Hawaii | $98,080 |
Idaho | $67,110 |
Illinois | $73,890 |
Indiana | $64,860 |
Iowa | $59,130 |
Kansas | $61,030 |
Kentucky | $63,100 |
Louisiana | $63,970 |
Maine | $67,610 |
Maryland | $76,820 |
Massachusetts | $92,140 |
Michigan | $71,330 |
Minnesota | $78,920 |
Mississippi | $58,490 |
Missouri | $65,130 |
Montana | $67,450 |
Nebraska | $64,470 |
Nevada | $85,620 |
New Hampshire | $72,760 |
New Jersey | $82,750 |
New Mexico | $71,730 |
New York | $85,610 |
North Carolina | $64,850 |
North Dakota | $65,740 |
Ohio | $66,820 |
Oklahoma | $63,080 |
Oregon | $91,080 |
Pennsylvania | $70,390 |
Rhode Island | $78,420 |
South Carolina | $64,940 |
South Dakota | $58,340 |
Tennessee | $61,320 |
Texas | $72,890 |
Utah | $65,670 |
Vermont | $69,160 |
Virginia | $69,790 |
Washington | $82,670 |
West Virginia | $61,780 |
Wisconsin | $71,470 |
Wyoming | $67,360 |
What Tools & Technology do Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Access
- SAS
- Invivo Data EPX ePRO Management System
How do I Become an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse?
Individuals working as an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse have obtained the following education levels:

How Long Does it Take to Become an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse?

Where Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses Work

Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses work in the following industries:

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those interested in being an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Aleksahgabrielle via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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